The legal framework gives us permission to dream what is possible. Lizzie Kiama (Kenya) at Microsoft Ability Summit 2021
Welcome to LFLegal’s Digital Accessibility Global Law and Policy page. The content of this page illustrates two things I often say:
- Accessibility is global
- The global accessibility community is generous
Please read the Introduction before diving into the digital accessibility laws and policies listed on this page. After the Introduction countries are organized into Regions. Regions are listed alphabetically and countries are listed alphabetically within regions.
- Introduction
- *Global
- Africa
- Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand
- Canada and United States
- East Asia
- Europe
- *European Union
- Austria
- Belgium
- Denmark
- Finland
- France
- Article 47 in Law n°2005-102 for equal rights and opportunities, participation and citizenship of disabled people – Last modification: March 11, 2023
- Article L5213-6 in the Labor Code, sub-section 1: Rights and guarantees for disabled workers – Last modification: August 8, 2019
- Law n°86-1067 relating to the freedom of communication (Léotard Law) – Last modification: December 24, 2020 (upcoming changes in 2021) (about television)
- Article 16 in Law n°2023-171 of March 9, 2023
- Germany
- Greece
- Holland
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Norway
- Poland
- Republic of Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- The Netherlands
- United Kingdom
- Latin America
- Middle East
- South Asia
Introduction
No legal advice | Creative Commons
-
- Nothing on this page is legal advice from Lainey Feingold, the Law Office of Lainey Feingold, or from any of the listed contributors.
- This page is a community resource. Like everything on this website, this page is presented under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Please use the contents of this page to advance digital accessibility under the terms of the license.
Page content | regions | translation notes
- The focus of this page is digital accessibility laws and policies. Digital accessibility includes access (by both users and creators) to websites, mobile applications, kiosks, workplace software, and other technology and digital content.
- Countries listed here may have other laws and policies impacting disability rights and the lives of disabled people that are not mentioned. In particular, there may be general anti-discrimination laws that could potentially be used to support digital inclusion that may not be included here.
- This page does not contain an exhaustive list of digital accessibility laws or policies around the globe. There may be countries with digital accessibility laws that are not listed. Content may not be current as of the date you are visiting this page. The date of the law update for each country appears under the name of the country. Other resources for digital accessibility law and policy are linked below.
- Please use the Contact Page on this website to let me know what is missing, what should be changed, what is not current.
- A note about Regions: I did the best I could organizing the countries on this page into regions that made sense to me and I hope make sense to readers. I considered geography as well as culture, and sought advice from people within various countries. If you have suggestions for improving the region structure of the page, or for moving a country into a different region, please let me know.
- A note about translation: If linked content is presented in HTML on a webpage I have not indicated the original language because readers can use machine translation from the browser (or human translation ) to render the page in the language they need. If linked content is in a PDF I have indicated the language of the original document because PDF documents cannot be automatically translated in the browser. (Documents can be translated with the Google Translate document translation page and other software tools. Also, Adobe offers this resource about translating PDFs. In writing and compiling this page I did not explore the possibility of generative AI tools like ChatGPT to provide translation.
- Please note that any translations on this page have been rendered using machine translation software such as Google Translate, and have not been reviewed for accuracy by a human. Machine translation may provide a good sense of what laws exist and what they provide, but machine translation does not work equally well across all languages. There may be inaccuracies in some of the translations, including translation of legislation titles. Translated content on this page should not be relied on for definitive information about legal rights and remedies.
Implementation of Laws
- Laws, policies, and regulations protecting the rights of disabled people to participate in the digital world are important. Like the quote at the top of this page says so beautifully, the legal framework creates the possibility to dream an inclusive world.
- But laws are not enough. Implementation and enforcement breathe life into laws and related regulations and policies. I wrote in the United States section of this page about how laws are implemented in this country, and I’d love to learn more about implementation and enforcement initiatives in other countries. I welcome contributions of that content. And of course, gratitude to public and private organizations and individuals who don’t wait for enforcement actions to implement the laws and policies listed on this page.
Thank you to contributors and web designer Natalie MacLees
- In February 2023 I put out a call on social media asking for updated content for this page. The response was overwhelming and gratifying. Honestly, experiencing the generosity of the global accessibility community, meeting new accessibility (a11y) champions, and connecting with old friends and colleagues from around the world added a joyful community dimension to my work of this project.
- All contributors to this page are listed under the country they contributed content for. The listing for each individual or organizational contributor includes a link to either their LinkedIn page or website. I’m hoping this will lead to more connections within the global accessibility network!
- Of course, while I so value the contributions and couldn’t have done this update without them, any mistakes you find here are mine alone.
- You too can be a contributor to this page by sending me information on countries not yet listed, or updates to the countries you find here.
- As with everything on LFLegal, gratitude to my wonderful web designer / developer Natalie MacLees of DigitA11y. To handle all the updates the community sent in Natalie built a system on the backend of this WordPress site to make it easier for me to update and add new countries, organize countries into regions, and recognize contributors. And now the public-facing page looks better too! While this content used to be in an article I’ve updated since 2013, it is now its own page available under the top navigation drop down Laws and Updates menu.
Other resources for global digital accessibility laws
Readers are encouraged to review these other global accessibility or disability law and policy resources:
- The Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)’s Web Accessibility Laws and Policies page. (As of April 2023 this W3C page is being updated.)
- G3ict (The Global Initiative for Inclusive Information and Communication Technology) maintains the Digital Accessibility Rights Evaluation Index (DARE Index) to “trace country progress in making Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) accessible for all, in compliance with Article 9 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).”
- World Health Organization MiNDbank (More Inclusiveness Needed in Disability and Development). This portal is “a database of resources covering mental health, substance abuse, disability, general health, human rights and development.” (It does not appear very up-to-date on digital accessibility resources.) You can search by country and by various topics within countries.
- Disability:IN maintains the Disability:IN Global Directory that includes accessibility information for many countries around the world.
*Global
United Nations Treaties
Updated on April 24, 2024

- CRPD: The United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (CRPD) is a comprehensive document ratified by over 185 countries, though not the United States. Article 9 of the CRPD, titled “Accessibility” recognizes the right of people with disabilities to full participation, including access to information and communications, including information and communications technologies and systems. Read the full CRPD. Read the post on this website about how the United States senate failed to ratify the CRPD in 2012. Shamefully, as of April 15, 2024, the CRPD is still not ratified by the U.S.
- General comment No. 2 about the CRPD Article 9 (Accessibility) was published in 2014. The Comment provides a detailed explanation of Article 9, including the importance of accessibility in the digital world and ways in which the Article can be implemented.
The Comment can be downloaded here in several languages, and includes this valuable reminder:
[A]ccess to information and communication is seen as a precondition for freedom of opinion and expression, as guaranteed under article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and article 19, paragraph 2, of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. General Comment No. 2 re Article 9 of the CRPD
- CRPD Optional Protocol: The Optional Protocol to the CRPD is an additional agreement to the CRPD that establishes an individual complaint process for disabled people who allege that their rights under the Convention have been denied. The Optional Protocol has to be signed separately by countries who ratify the CRPD. As of october 2023 94 countries have signed the Optional Protocol (as compared to over 180 that have signed the CRPD itself.
- WIPO: In June, 2013, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a United Nations agency, adopted a landmark treaty to advance the right to read for people who are blind or otherwise print-disabled. Read the WIPO press release about adoption of the Treaty. The treaty, officially known as the “Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons who are Blind, Visually Impaired, or otherwise Print Disabled” eliminates copyright roadblocks that have created an international “book famine” for those who need alternative formats to standard print information. Read the 2013 article on this website about the WIPO Treaty.
Africa
Kenya
Updated on April 13, 2023
- In May 2022 Kenya published its first digital accessibility standards. Announced at the Inclusive Africa conference in late May, the news was reported as follows:
The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) in partnership with inABLE has launched the first-ever Inclusivity ICT Standards in Africa at the Inclusive Africa Conference. The new standard, gazetted on 13th May 2022 is set to ensure that Public and Private sector digital products and services are accessible to Persons with Disabilities (PWD’s), older persons largely disconnected from most e-government services, and business owned digital platforms.“Kenya gazettes ICT Standards to ensure digital inclusion of persons with disabilities
(If you’re like me and are unfamiliar with the word “gazettes” in this context, a quick search gave me the definition: “to announce or publish (something) in an official gazette.”)
- Congratulations to Irene Mbari-Kirika, inABLE Executive Director, for her critical role in spearhead this accessibility milestone. She explained the significance of the standards as follows:
The Standards for Accessibility- ICT Products and Services is a game changer for public and private organizations who must now prioritize digital accessibility compliance to ensure that everyone, especially PWDs, can access their websites, mobile applications, and other digital resources.”Irene Mbari-Kirika, in official standards announcement
- Read Kenya Standard DKS 2952-1:2021, Accessibility IT Products and Services (92 page PDF)
- KEBS and inABLE are spearheading the implementation framework for the accessibility regulations. This phase that will be ongoing for a duration of not less than five years to ensure full implementation of KS2952. It is standard procedure to review any Standard that comes into force every five years to include changes and emerging issues in the sector.
Nigeria
Updated on May 20, 2024
In January 2019 Nigeria’s President signed into law the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018. Disability rights groups and activists in Nigeria had fought for the bill for almost a decade.
- Read Nigeria’s disability discrimination act in word format or in accessile PDF format
- Read the media story titled Nigeria Passes Disability Rights Law; Offers Hope of Inclusion, Improved Access
- Accessibility Nigeria is a LinkedIn page of the Nigerian Accessibility Community. Thank you Accessibility Nigeria for providing the accessible formats of Nigeria’s disability discrimination law.
Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand
Aotearoa New Zealand
Updated on April 16, 2023
[Note: Following the recommendation of the New Zealand Human Rights Commission, this website refers to this country as Aotearoa New Zealand. Aotearoa is the current Māori-language name for New Zealand. Māori are the indigenous people of the country.]
- On July 27, 2022 the Accessibility for New Zealanders Bill was introduced in the New Zealand House of Representatives. Congratulations to Access Matters Aotearoa for advocacy leading to this historic step toward full digital inclusion in that country.
- The Aotearoa New Zealand Human Rights Act (1993) protects people in New Zealand from discrimination, including due to disability. Read about all laws protecting human rights in Aotearoa New Zealand
- Aotearoa New Zealand has adopted two updated standards for government websites effective July 2019. The Web Accessibility Standard 1.1 and the Web Usability Standard 1.3.
Australia
Updated on April 16, 2023
- Australia’s general Disability Discrimination ACT (1992) has been held to apply to website accessibility by a Ruling in 2000 by the Australian Human Rights Commission.
- The Australian Human Rights Commission published an Advisory Note in 2014 recommending WCAG and usability testing by people with disability. As of March 2023 this Note is currently being updated. A statement on the Note currently says it is not current. [Note that in Australia the term “people with disability” (singular) is used, and not the plural “people with disabilities.”]
- The recent enquiry Into Human Rights and Technology made a number of recommendations around Artificial Intelligence and also accessible technology for people with disability.
- Accessibility requirements for Australian government websites
- The Digital Service Standard has an accessibility criteria: Make It Accessible
- Read the 2017 blog post about the Australian accessibility standard written by Andrew Arch, currently with Intopia, and at the time Lead, Accessibility, Diversity, Assisted Digital at Australia’s Digital Transformation Office.
- The Australian Government’s Commonwealth Procurement Rules require evidence of conformance with applicable Australian Standards – from an accessibility perspective, AS EN 301 549:2020 is applicable.
- The Digital Sourcing Consider First Policy released by the Digital Transformation Authority in June 2019 also has a requirement for accessibility
- The updated, now digital, Style Manual has lots of information to support the production of accessible content.
- Accessible IT Procurement: A guide to procuring accessible ICT for Higher Education providers
- Most state governments have supporting accessibility documentation, for example
- Australian Standards relating to digital accessibility and published by Standards Australia:
- AS EN 301 549 – Accessibility requirements for ICT products and services (direct adoption)
- AS ISO/IEC 30071.1 – Information technology — Development of user interface accessibility — Part 1: Code of practice for creating accessible ICT products and services (direct adoption)
Canada and United States
Canada – National
Updated on November 6, 2024

[See also Canada – Provinces on this page]
- May 31, 2024 press announcement: Accessibility Standards Canada adopts the globally recognized accessibility standard for ICT products and services
- The national standard of Canada, referenced in the May, 2024 press announcement linked above, can be found here: CAN/ASC – EN 301 549: 2024 Accessibility requirements for ICT products and services (EN 301 549:2021, IDT)
- In 2019 Canada passed its first federal accessibility legislation called the Accessible Canada Act. Here are resources about this historic Canadian legislation.
- The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees specific human rights and freedom from discrimination to all Canadians (including on the grounds of disability). These rights are protected under law and may not be contravened by any other law or policy. The charter was the basis of the Jodhan Web Accessibility case against the Canadian government in 2010.
- The Canadian Human Rights Act protects people in Canada from discrimination when they are employed by or receive services from the federal government, First Nations governments or private companies that are regulated by the federal government such as banks, trucking companies, broadcasters and telecommunications companies.
- Web Standards for the Government of Canada
Canada – Provinces
Updated on April 13, 2023
This section lists accessibility laws and policies in Canadian provinces. Visit the Canada – National section for laws and policies applicable across the country.
British Columbia
Manitoba
- In the Canadian province of Manitoba, the Accessibility for Manitobans Act (AMA) became law in 2013. It focuses on barriers for people with disabilities, not general human rights. The legislation applies to both the public and private sectors, and there are rolling timelines for different sectors. It is made up of five standards, covering the areas of customer service, employment, information and communication, transportation and the built environment. The customer service standard was enacted in 2016, the employment standard is expected to be enacted in 2017 and the information and communications standard is being worked on as of mid 2017. The Province of Manitoba Disabilities Issues Office (DIO) supports the legislation
Nova Scotia
- In the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, the Accessibility Act (Bill 59) became law in 2017. It focuses on barriers for people with disabilities, not general human rights.
The Nova Scotia legislation applies to both the public and private sectors, and there are rolling timelines for different sectors. The law is made up of six standards, covering the areas of the delivery and receipt of goods and services, employment, information and communication, public transportation and transportation infrastructure, education and the built environment.
- The Province of Nova Scotia has launched the Nova Scotia Accessibility Directorate with resources and information about the Act.
New Foundland and Labrador
- Bill 38, an Act Respecting Accessibility in the Province (passed December 2021)
- Provincial governmental portal with links to the accessibility Act, FAQs, and Standards Advisory Board
Ontario
- In the Canadian province of Ontario, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) covers provincially-regulated public and private activities and standards have been enacted for the provision of accessible Information and Communications. Read the April 2014 A Guide to the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation.
- AODA is notable as it carries a $100,000.00 fine for corporations that fail to comply, although there has been recent criticism that the law is not being effectively enforced. There were five original standards: Customer Service, Information and Communication, Employment, Transportation and Design of Public Spaces. A Health Care standard was added in 2016/17, and an Education standard was proposed in mid 2017.
- The Ontario Human Rights Code covers provincially-regulated activities.
Saskatchewan
- The Accessible Saskatchewan Act – Summary of Bill (introduced Fall 2022)
United States – federal (national)
Updated on November 14, 2024
The digital accessibility legal landscape is flourishing in the United States. Significant strides towards full inclusion of people with disabilities in the digital world have been made as a result of a strong legal framework, grassroots advocacy, litigation by both private parties and the federal government, Structured Negotiation, and successful administrative complaints and guidance from the United States Department of Justice and other agencies.
This section of the LFLegal Global Law and Policy page lists federal (national) digital accessibility laws, regulations, and examples of implementation. Resources for staying abreast of the United States digital accessibility legal landscape are also listed.
National laws apply across the United States, although they may be interpreted differently by courts in different parts of the country. Visit the section of this page titled United States – state and local governments for additional information about digital accessibility laws and policies in individual states or cities.
Resources to keep up with the digital accessibility legal space in the United States
- The U.S. Legal Updates page on LFLegal has summaries of articles about developments in digital accessibility law in the United States. Note that I don’t write about every development in this space!
Articles on the U.S. Legal Update page are updated as new developments occur. Updated articles include:
- Kiosk Accessibility: The Law is Paying Attention (published January 2018, updated most recently in February 9, 2024)
- Legal Update: U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Attorneys Offices, Championing Digital Access (published October 2021, updated most recently in 2022)
- Legal Update: Accessibility Overlay Edition (published November 2021, updated most recently in December 2023)
- I offer Digital Accessibility Legal Update webinars, conference presentations, and private talks throughout the year. The most recent update that was recorded and available for free is the November/December two-part Digital Accessibility Legal Update for 3Play Media Visit the Speaking Page on LFLegal if you are interested in having a legal update talk for your organization.
- Using the collaborative process of Structured Negotiation, many large organizations and public sector agencies in the United States have committed to various aspects of digital accessibility in settlement agreements that Lainey Feingold has helped negotiate. While these settlements do not have legal precedent, they come from the strong legal foundation in the United States and have had industry precedent over many years.
Visit the Web and Mobile Accessibility Press Release Category on this website for a summary of all press releases announcing web accessibility settlements, with links to the full releases and settlements.
- The ADA title III News and Insights blog from the Seyfarth law firm offers digital accessibility legal updates from the perspective of a law firm representing businesses. The blog can be filtered for web accessibility cases.
- I don’t like talking about the number of web and mobile lawsuits filed in the United States because I’ve found that fear is a poor motivator for digital inclusion. Still, knowing about the digital accessibility lawsuit numbers, knowing how many companies using overlays still get sued, and more, is part of knowing about United States law. I get my information about the numbers from the Seyfarth blog and from UsableNet’s ADA Accessibility Lawsuit Tracker that slices and dices the numbers.
Section 508
Section 508 requires Federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology (EIT) accessible to people with disabilities and requires the federal government to purchase technology that is accessible.
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- The Section 508.gov website has significant resources on Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, governing federal procurement of digital technology.
- The IT Accessibility Laws and Policies page on Section 508.gov has links to all relevant laws and regulations.
- In February 2023 a federal court ruled that a blind FBI employee could pursue a lawsuit claiming that software used by the agency was not accessible to screen reader users. One of the lawyers handling the case wrote about it in an article titled “Orozco v. Garland Establishes a New Pathway for Challenging Inaccessible Technology Beyond the Confines of the Interactive Process for Federal Employees with Disabilities.” The court’s decision is linked in this article.
Section 504
- Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prevents programs receiving federal funds (from the United States government) from discriminating against disabled people. Federal agencies have adopted regulations applying Section 504 to their activities. Failing to make digital tools and content accessibility can violate Section 504.
- The U.S. Department of Education Section 504 Regulations are here. In May 2022 the Department of Education announced a plan to update and strengthen those regulations.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- United States Department of Justice Americans with Disabilities Act Home Page. Here you can find information about Title II (law and regulations governing state and local government entities) and Title III (law and regulations governing public accommodations (private entities)). People with disabilities can file complaints with the DOJ about discrimination including discrimination involving lack of accessibility.
- April 24, 2024 saw the publication of new final rules with technical standards for websites and mobile applications provided by state and local governments in the United States. Finally! Resources about the new rule, which adopts WCAG 2.1 AA as the conformance standard, include:
- The ADA prohibits disability discrimination, requires access to services and facilities, and requires effective communication. These aspects of the ADA are primarily why digital accessibility is a legal issue in the United States. Courts, advocates, site owners and web developers in the U.S. are not (and should not be) waiting for specific ADA technical standards / regulations on digital accessibility standards, which do not yet exist for the private sector. Most courts looking at the standards issue recognize the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. (Court opinions I’ve written about over many years can be found on the U.S. Legal Update page.
- The history of the new ADA Title II technical web rules, and the effort to adopt standards for the private sector, is described in my article (including updates) titled Deja Vu All Over Again? DOJ Announces Intent to Adopt Web Accessibility Regulations for State and Local Governments
- Digital accessibility is a core component of ensuring that people with disabilities have access to employment opportunities. The federal agency called the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) is responsible for enforcing the ADA’s provisions about employment discrimination in connection with private employers and the federal government. The DOJ is responsible for employment-related issues in state and local government. Resources on digital accessibility in employment include:
- Information about the right to be free from discrimination in the workplace in the U.S. can be found on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) website disability discrimination portal.
- Algorithms, Artificial Intelligence, and Disability Discrimination in Hiring (2022). This resource is Guidance from the Department of Justice
- The Americans with Disabilities Act and the Use of Software, Algorithms, and Artificial Intelligence to Assess Job Applicants and Employees (2022) . This resource is Guidance from the EEOC.
- Two US Government Agencies Warn about Hiring Technology that Discriminates against Disabled Applicants, article on LFLegal
- The United States Department of Education (DOE), along with the Department of Justice, protects students from disability discrimination, including discrimination based on lack of accessible content and technology under both the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504. Visit the Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights (OCR) page for more information about the DOE’s work.
- The web page Higher Ed Accessibility Lawsuits, Complaints, and Settlements offers examples of how the law has been used in the United States to advance digital accessibility in higher education.
- On September 28, 2022 the Websites and Software Applications Accessibility Act was introduced in the United States Congress. This Act must be introduced again and is not law in the United States at this time. If passed it would cover and expand on some issues addressed in the ADA about digital accessibility.
In the FAQs published when the bill was introduced, the bill sponsors answered the question “Does the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) already apply to websites and applications?” by saying “Yes, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has long held that the ADA covers websites and other technologies that are critical to accessing a business or agency’s services or facilities.” Read my article about the proposed Websites and Software Applications Accessibility Act
- 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (2010 law addressing captioning, audio description, mobile browsers and more)
- In November 2022 proposed legislation was introduced in the United States Congress to update the CVAA. The proposed legislation was called the Communications, Video, and Technology Accessibility Act (CVTA). It needs to be introduced again, and is not law. Read the press release announcing the proposed legislation that includes a link to the full text of the bill.
- On June 25, 2021 U.S. President Joseph Biden issued an Executive Order addressing digital accessibility in the federal government. Read the Executive Order Advancing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Government
The CVAA
Executive Order about federal government accessibility
United States – state and local governments
Updated on May 1, 2024
[Note: See the United States – federal (national) section of this page for laws applying across the United States, as well as resources for keeping up with U.S. digital accessibility legal developments.]
There are fifty states in the United States and many of them have laws preventing disability discrimination that have been used to advocate for digital accessibility. Many states also have state accessible procurement laws similar to Section 508 (the federal accessible procurement law). In addition to state law requirements, a few cities have laws impacting digital accessibility.
Some state laws allow a person with a disability to seek damages (money payment) in a lawsuit for disability discrimination in the digital space. Most web accessibility lawsuits are filed in these states, because the Americans with Disabilities Act does not provide for this type of money damages. New York, California, and Florida have the largest number of lawsuits filed.
This section of the LFLegal global accessibility law and policy page has examples of these state and local laws in the United States. It is not at all exhaustive. It is important to learn about the laws in states where you live and where your organization does business or makes digital content available. Organizations providing websites and mobile applications may be subject to laws of any state where the digital content may be accessed.
- The US General Services Agency (GSA), a federal government agency, has a page on its Section 508 website that lists some state laws and policies about procuring accessible technology. This website does not appear to be exhaustive, but is a good place to start when looking for states with state accessible procurement requirements. The GSA page is described as including “resources and links that may help you to see which states have published laws and or policies on developing, procuring, maintaining, or using electronic and information technology.”
- The Disabled Persons Act in California is an example of a State law that allows a disabled person to collect damages for disability discrimination related to digital barriers.The lawsuit against Target regarding the inaccessibility of Target’s website was in part based on this California statute. Read about the 2008 Target web accessibility settlement.
- As of July 1, 2019 California’s AB (Assembly Bill) 434 required all state agencies in California to post on their website a certification about the website’s accessibility. The law applies to both state agencies and contractors:
State entities, and any contractors working for them, are responsible for ensuring that their state entity’s public websites are accessible to the general public. State entities are to align with Web Content Accessibility Guideline (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA Standards in addition to the requirements of Section 508 (29 U.S.C. 794d).California AB 434
- New York state has a New York State Human Rights Law. New York City has the New York City Human Rights Law. Both these laws have been the subject of lawsuits brought by disabled people for lack of website and mobile app accessibility.
- In 2022 the state of Maryland passed the Local School Systems – Equivalent Access Standards – Digital Tools (Equivalent and Nonvisual Access Accountability Act for K-12 Education). The official summay of this law, which is an accessible procurement law for K-12 schools in Maryland, states:
Requiring a local school system to provide equivalent access to digital tools for students with disabilities, including the development, purchase, and provision of certain digital tools that are directly connected to student instruction; requiring a local school system to establish a process to evaluate a digital tool prior to purchase for nonvisual access by a certain employee or contractor of the school system; providing certain civil penalties for a vendor who fails to meet the equivalent access standards; etc.Maryland accessible K-12 procurement law
Read an article about this K-12 accessible procurement law, one of the first in the United States I am aware of.
- In Colorado HB21-1110 covers digital accessibility requirements in the state. The Governor’s Office of Information Technology has a detaile factsheet with links and resources about this law. Read FAQ: HB21-1110 Colorado Laws For Persons With Disabilities
East Asia
Hong Kong
Updated on April 14, 2023
- Guidelines on Dissemination of Information through Government Websites, a publication of the Office of Government Chief Information Officer, Government of Hong Kong. Guidelines use WCAG 2.0 Level AA.
Japan
Updated on April 13, 2023
- Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS) 8341-3 is now identical to ISO/IEC 40500:2012 (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0). The current version is JIS X 8341-3:2016 (Japanese). JIS X 8341-3:2016 has exactly the same success criteria as WCAG 2.0.
- WAIC (Web Accessibility Infrastructure Committee in Japan) was in charge of the update of JIS X 8341-3. Makoto Ueki was chairman of WAIC and of the JIS update working group. JIS standards can be updated every five years. However JIS X 8341-3 cannot be updated until ISO/IEC 40500 is updated.
- The Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has encouraged public sectors websites to conform to Level AA of JIS X 8341-3:2016, which is equal to Level AA of WCAG 2.0, by the end of March 2018. Public sectors include ministries, local governments and independent administrative agencies.
- Japan has the “Act for Eliminating Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities” which came into force in April 1, 2016. The basic policy of the law was endorsed by the Japanese Cabinet in February, 2015. The policy refers to “information accessibility” and the term includes web content. The basic policy of the law strongly encourages organizations to make their information (including web content) accessible. Read a news article in English about Japan’s 2016 Disability Discrimination Act.
- In May 2021, the “Act for Eliminating Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities” was revised, making it a legal obligation for private businesses as well as public institutions to provide reasonable accommodations only if people with disabilities request improvements to their products and services including their websites and mobile apps.
- In May 2022, the “Law on the Promotion of Information Accessibility and Communication for Persons with Disabilities” was enacted. It is essential that information and communication be accessible to all persons with disabilities in order for them to participate in activities in all areas. This law establishes basic principles for this purpose, but more specific measures, obligations, etc. are still awaiting consideration.
Europe
*European Union
Updated on April 15, 2023

[Note: this topic is for the European Union itself. Many of the countries within the European Union are listed in alphabetical order in the Europe region on this page. (Some European countries listed are not in the European Union.)]
- The European Accessibility Act (EAA, also referred to as Directive (EU) 2019/882 ) became law in 2019. Member states should have laws to implement the Act by 28 June 2022. (This is called “transposing” the EAA . By 2025, many of the requirements of the European accessibility act must already be implemented. The Act builds on and goes far beyond the Web Accessibility Directive passed in 2016.
- Read more about the European Accessibility Act. This page, published by the European Commission of the EU includes a summary of the law, what it covers, and its advantages for both business, people with disabilities, and seniors.
- EU countries must transpose the European Accessibility Act into the law of their own country, though not all have done so as of April 1, 2023. The EU maintains a website where member states may (voluntarily) publish their status in connection with the transposition of the European Accessibility Act (EAA). Note that this page does not necessarily tell you whether the EAA is transposed or not.
- The EU Disability Forum has developed the European Accessibility Act Toolkit for Transposition
- View a useful webinar (with transcript) on the European Accessibility Act (EAA) from the EU Disability forum.
- EN 301 549 V3.2.1 (2021-03), “Accessibility Requirements for ICT Products and Services” (applicable to procurement). Read a short summary and history of this standard.
- The European Accessibility Act and Book Publishing, an article explaining how the law will impact book publishing for any book to be sold in an EU country after the June 2025 EAA implementation deadline. This article is written by Laura Brady who assisted in the production of Lainey’s book, Structured Negotiation, a Winning Alternative to Lawsuits (2d edition).
- In addition to the European Accessibility Act, telecommunications accessibility in the EU is grounded in the EU Electronics Communication Code (2018). The European Disability Forum’s page on telecommunications accessibility has useful information and links. In January 2020 the EDF published the European Electronics Communications Code Toolkit for Transposition to help EU countries implement the Code in their own countries.
- On May 3, 2016 the European Commission adopted a directive requiring public sector websites and mobile apps to be accessible. Read the EU accessibility press release. Read the EU Directive on accessibility of the websites and mobile applications of public sector bodies. The EDF has is developing very helpful FAQs on the Web Accessibility Directive.
- The European Union Web Accessibility Policy covers official websites of the EU institutions (EUROPA).
- The European Disability Forum’s thoughts about the Web Accessibility Policy linked above can be found in A look at the European Commission Web Accessibility Action Plan
Austria
Updated on April 14, 2023
[Note: This country is in the European Union (EU). Visit the European Union section of this Global Digital Accessibility Laws Page for more information about the European Accessibility Act and other digital accessibility Directives impacting EU countries.]
- Entire Legislation for Web Accessibility Act, Version of 03/31/2023. Also known as “Federal law on barrier-free access to federal websites and mobile applications (Web Accessibility Act).”
Belgium
Updated on April 14, 2023
[Note: This country is in the European Union (EU). Visit the European Union section of this Global Digital Accessibility Laws Page for more information about the European Accessibility Act and other digital accessibility Directives impacting EU countries.]
- Ordinance on the accessibility of websites and mobile applications of regional public bodies and municipalities (French). (English machine translation here)
Denmark
Updated on November 1, 2024
[Note: This country is in the European Union (EU). Visit the European Union section of this Global Digital Accessibility Laws Page for more information about the European Accessibility Act and other digital accessibility Directives impacting EU countries.]
- Act on accessibility requirements for products and services (2022), the Danish law implementing the European Accessibility Act.
- Article: Accessibility compliance in Denmark and Lithuania. This is an article published on the website of publishing consultants Maverick by Will Awad.
- Web Accessibility in Denmark, information from the Danish Agency for Digital Government about the 2018 Web Accessibility Act. This Act implemented the European Union (EU) Web Accessibility Directive on public sector websites and mobile applications into Danish law.
Although this law requires compliance with accessibility standards, no fines have been issued for non-compliance as of March 2023.
- Information about monitoring and supervision by the Danish government to ensure compliance with the Danish Web Accessibility Act. Simplified monitoring uses automated tools to test websites and mobile apps for compliance against 18 WCAG 2.1 criteria, while in-depth monitoring uses both automated and manual testing to evaluate based on the EN 301 549 chapter 10.
- The Danish Agency for Digital Government has a Web Accessibility Statement Tool that public sector bodies are required to use to comply with the law.
Finland
Updated on May 26, 2024
[Note: This country is in the European Union (EU). Visit the European Union section of this Global Digital Accessibility Laws Page for more information about the European Accessibility Act and other digital accessibility Directives impacting EU countries. ]
- This article on Digital Accessibility Legislation by the Finland-based digital consultancy Wunder summarizes Finnish implementation of the EAA and other laws in that country impacting digital accessibility. The article also includes links to all cited laws, and also discusses Estonia and Latvia.
- Act on the Provision of Digital Services (2019 – website is maintained by the Regional State Administrative Agency for Southern Finland (AVI))
- AVI English web portal, Digital Services are for Everyone, with lots of useful links and summaries of web accessibility law in Finland
- Act on Public Procurement and Concession Contracts (2016):
A procurement that is intended for use by natural persons shall, except in appropriately justified cases, be specified in a manner that gives consideration to unimpeded access for disabled users and to a design that satisfies the requirements of all users. The procurement shall be specified with reference to the mandatory accessibility requirements prescribed elsewhere in national legislation or in European Union statutes.Public procurement law in Finland
France
Updated on April 14, 2023

[Note: This country is in the European Union (EU). Visit the European Union section of this Global Digital Accessibility Laws Page for more information about the European Accessibility Act and other digital accessibility Directives impacting EU countries.]
Article 47 in Law n°2005-102 for equal rights and opportunities, participation and citizenship of disabled people – Last modification: March 11, 2023
- Loi n° 2005-102 du 11 février 2005 pour l’égalité des droits et des chances, la participation et la citoyenneté des personnes handicapées, article 47, modified by Law n°2023-771 of March 9, 2023- art. 16, Version in effect as of March 11, 2023. [English title – Article 47 in Law n°2005-102 for equal rights and opportunities, participation and citizenship of disabled people.] This last modification is due to the Directive (EU) 2019/882 on the accessibility requirements for products and services.
- The last decree, n°2019-768 of July 24, 2019 added a lot of details to the law itself and made the 2018 version of the law effective. As of April 1, 2023 the decree is awaited for the 2023 version but the Law n°2023-171 of March 9, 2023 – art. 16 added a lot of details on what the decree should contain.
- The order of September 20, 2019 “portant référentiel général d’amélioration de l’accessibilité” define the accessibility reference document to implement accessibility requirements: the RGAA (Référentiel Général d’Amélioration de l’Accessibilité). It complies with WCAG 2.1.
Article 47 is divided into 4 major points:
- The online public communication services of a large number of organizations (in particular public organizations, organizations delegated with a public service mission, private organizations with revenues exceeding 250 million euros) must be accessible to disabled people.From 2025 or 2030, more organizations will be concerned (a priori, private companies with revenues exceeding 2 million euros and employing more than 10 people – a decree will specify this).
- The accessibility obligation applies to all type of digital media.
- Obligation to publish an accessibility statement, to draw up a multi-year plan (3 years maximum) for making services accessible and an action plan for the current year.
- Obligation to display the level of compliance with accessibility rules on the home page, to provide easy access to the documents mentioned in the previous point, and to make it possible to report accessibility problems. Failure to comply with this obligation and failure to bring a service into compliance is punishable up to €20,000 per site and per year (amount fixed in the decree 2019-768).
The law contains exceptions (such as the disproportionate cost for certain contents and functionalities) that the decree n°2019-768 defines.
Article L5213-6 in the Labor Code, sub-section 1: Rights and guarantees for disabled workers – Last modification: August 8, 2019
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Code du travail, Sous-section 1 : Droits et garanties des travailleurs handicapés, Article L5213-6, modified by Law n°2016-1088 of August 8, 2016 – art. 56 (V), Version in effect as of August 8, 2019 [English title – Rights and guarantees for disabled workers]
- LOI n° 2023-171 du 9 mars 2023 portant diverses dispositions d’adaptation au droit de l’Union européenne dans les domaines de l’économie, de la santé, du travail, des transports et de l’agriculture
- This law is the transposition in French Law of the Directive (EU) 2019/882 on the accessibility requirements for products and services. It has modified a lot of other laws in the fields of economy, health, labor, transport and agriculture.
- Jean-Pierre Villain (Access42) has written two articles in French about these new developments:
- «Transposition de la Directive européenne (UE) 2019/882 relative aux exigences en matière d’accessibilité applicables aux produits et services” (March 14, 2023) [Transposition of European Directive (EU) 2019/882 on accessibility requirements for products and services]
- «Impact sur l’accessibilité numérique de la Directive européenne (UE) 2019/882 relative à l’accessibilité des biens et services» (March 22, 2023) [Impact on digital accessibility of the European Directive (EU) 2019/882 on the accessibility of goods and services]
The employer shall ensure that software installed on the workstation of disabled people and necessary for their professional practice is accessible. The employer shall also ensure that the workstation of disabled people is accessible for remote working.
But there is an exception if there is a disproportionate cost in spite of the planned aid for employers…
Law n°86-1067 relating to the freedom of communication (Léotard Law) – Last modification: December 24, 2020 (upcoming changes in 2021) (about television)
Loi n° 86-1067 du 30 septembre 1986 relative à la liberté de communication (Loi Léotard)
The audiovisual council (Conseil Supérieur de l’Audiovisuel, CSA) shall ensure the accessibility of television and on-demand audiovisual media services programs to disabled people and make an annual report.
A convention must define the proportion of programs to be made accessible to deaf or hard of hearing people and blind or visually impaired people. If the average annual audience exceeds 2.5% of the total audience for television services, the obligation applies.
Public channels, with some exceptions, adapt all television programmes for deaf or hard of hearing people.
Services for the deaf or hard of hearing people and blind or visually impaired people associated with the programmes of television services are provided free of charge.
Article 16 in Law n°2023-171 of March 9, 2023
Germany
Updated on April 30, 2024
[Note: This country is in the European Union (EU). Visit the European Union section of this Global Digital Accessibility Laws Page for more information about the European Accessibility Act and other digital accessibility Directives impacting EU countries.]
- Federal Republic of German Accessibility Law (2021 [PDF in German language only]) This is the law that implements the European Accessibility Act.
- 2022 Accessibility Regulation implementing the Accessibility Law
- Overview of German European Accessibility Act transposition law (English)
- 2017 German law implementing the European Union Web Accessibility Directive for public bodies
- Many German states have their own regulations on digital accessibility. Examples include
- Regulation for the creation of barrier-free information technology according to the Disability Equality Act North Rhine-Westphalia (Barrier-free Information Technology Regulation North Rhine-Westphalia – BITVNRW)
- Lower Saxony Ordinance on Accessible Information Technology in Public Bodies (NBITVO)
Implementation of German law
I recently learned of a practical application of accessibility law in Germany. A blind benefits recipient had been unable to receive social security information in an accessible format he could independently read and filed a lawsuit. He won the case, with the court ruling that the government agencies had to send him electronic notices in a “barrier-free form” by email at the same time that an inaccessible print version went out.
The government had argued that the needed digital forms were not secure, but the court said they still had to be sent with the plaintiff’s consent:
The plaintiff expressly consented to the transmission by email and thus accepted the risk that confidentiality would not be maintained 100%. The right to barrier-free access cannot therefore be relativized or negated with reference to data protection.
Read about this case in the article titled Right to barrier-free administrative procedures. I used the translation feature in Chrome – please see the note on translation at the top of this article.
Thanks to the following contributors for information on Germany: Beatriz Gonzalez, Alexandra Nothnagel, Eric Eggert
Greece
Updated on April 14, 2023
[Note: This country is in the European Union (EU). Visit the European Union section of this Global Digital Accessibility Laws Page for more information about the European Accessibility Act and other digital accessibility Directives impacting EU countries. ]
- Law 4591/2019 (PDF in Greek). This law incorporates into Greek law the European Union 2016 and 2017 web and mobile accessibility directives.
Iceland
Updated on March 28, 2023
- On October 5th, 2012, the Icelandic government officially declared that it intended to enact legislation requiring public sector websites to be WCAG 2.0 AA compliant by January 1, 2015. The details of the legislation were worked on, and the over-all state of accessibility in Iceland was assessed in the Fall of 2013 as part of the government plans for the Icelandic Information Society 2013 – 2016. However, while there is a policy, as of 2023, this legislation has yet to be enacted.
- Read the 2012 Icelandic announcement regarding the policy and legislation, “The government has approved a new policy to ensure accessibility for the blind, visually impaired, etc. etc. to public websites.
- Iceland is not a member of the European Union (EU). The EU Directives and regulations do not apply to Iceland unless voluntarily ratified, something the government has not seriously considered. Thanks to the following contributors for information on Iceland: Birkir Gunnarsson
Ireland
Updated on November 1, 2024
[Note: Ireland is part of the European Union (EU). Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom (UK). Visit the European Union section of this Global Digital Accessibility Laws Page for more information about the European Accessibility Act and other digital accessibility Directives impacting EU countries.]
- In December 2023 the European Accessibility Act (EAA) was implemented into Irish law by the European Union (Accessibility Requirements of Products and Services) Regulations 2023. The potential penalties for violating this law are serious:
- (6) A person who commits an offence under these Regulations shall be liable –
(a) on summary conviction to a class A fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both, or
(b) on conviction on indictment to a fine not exceeding €60,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 18 months or to both.
- (6) A person who commits an offence under these Regulations shall be liable –
- Read a January 2024 article about Ireland’s implementation of the EAA titled European Accessibility Act Implemented into Irish Law: Overview of the Irish implementing measures
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According to the article cited above, the National Disability Authority has a special status under the EAA implementing regulations to advise relevant authorities on the accessibility requirements under the EAA and the Irish Regulations. The image here shows Lainey Feingold and Shilpi Kapoor with the National Disability Authority team and guests on a visit to the Authority in May 2023.
Italy
Updated on May 1, 2024
[Note: This country is in the European Union (EU). Visit the European Union section of this Global Digital Accessibility Laws Page for more information about the European Accessibility Act and other digital accessibility Directives impacting EU countries. ]
- LEGISLATIVE DECREE 27 May 2022, n. 82 Implementation of Directive (EU) 2019/882 of the European Parliament and of the Council, of 17 April 2019, on the accessibility requirements of products and services. (22G00089) (GU General Series n.152 of 01-07-2022). This is the Italian transposition of the European Accessibility Act (EAA).
- Italian Law 4/2004 (Stanca Act) covers all ICT not only web and mobile apps. Passed in 2004, the law was updated after the EU Web Accessibility Directive, and also covers private companies with sales more than 500,000,000 Euros / per year.
Latvia
Updated on May 26, 2024
[Note: This country is in the European Union (EU). Visit the European Union section of this Global Digital Accessibility Laws Page for more information about the European Accessibility Act and other digital accessibility Directives impacting EU countries.]
- the Goods and Services Accessibility Law transposes the European Accessibility Act into Latvian law. It was adopted in March 2023 and will come into force on 28 June 2025. The article titled Accessibility to goods and services: new obligations for manufacturers, importers and distributors explains this and other accessibility measures in Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia.
- Law on the Procurements of Public Service Providers. On the issue of technical standards for procuring accessible technology for disabled people this law provides as follows:
For procurements the results of which are intended for use by natural persons (including the staff of the public service provider), the technical specifications shall be prepared so as to ensure accessibility of the procurement results for persons with disability or to take into account the principles of universal design, except for when the public service provider has a duly justification for the non-inclusion of such requirements in the technical specifications. If the directly applicable legal acts of the European Union confirm the mandatory access requirements, the technical specifications shall contain a reference to such standards, insofar as they determine the requirements in relation to ensuring access for persons with disability or the principles of universal design.Latvia public procurement law, section 23(9)
- Electronic Communications Act (2022) (Latvian) and an article about this transposition of the EU Electronic Communications Act.
Lithuania
Updated on November 1, 2024
- Republic of Lithuania: Accessibility Requirements for Products and Services (the law transposing the European Accessibility Act, passed in 2022 and going into effect in June 2025.)
- Article: Accessibility compliance in Denmark and Lithuania. This is an article published on the website of publishing consultants Maverick by Will Award.
- Article: Accessibility to goods and services: new obligations for manufacturers, importers and distributors, an article about the European Accessibility Act in the Balkans (Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia).
Luxembourg
Updated on April 14, 2023

[Note: This country is in the European Union (EU). Visit the European Union section of this Global Digital Accessibility Laws Page for more information about the European Accessibility Act and other digital accessibility Directives impacting EU countries.]
- Law of 28 May 2019 on the accessibility of websites and mobile applications of public sector bodies. This law is still in force. It is the transposition of the Web Accessibility Directive, (The EU Directive on accessibility of the websites and mobile applications of public sector bodies (EN 2016/2102).)
- Law of 8 March 2023 on the accessibility requirements of products and services. This law is the transposition of the European Accessibility Act (Directive EU 2019/882).
- The government of Luxembourg provides guidelines for websites and mobile apps:
- General Repository for Improving Web Accessibility (RGAA 4.1): Introduction (same guidelines as in France)
- Mobile Application Accessibility Assessment Framework (RAAM 1): Introduction
- Both these guidelines are compatible with the European norm EN 301 549 v3.2.1. One website or app of the public sector has the possibility to conform to the European norm or to one of these guidelines.
Norway
Updated on April 11, 2023
The country of Norway borders, but is not part of, the European Union. Because of the European Economic Area (EEA) Agreement and because Norway is part of the European Free Trade Association however, a lot of EU legislation is transposed into their laws.
- Read an article titled Norwegian digital accessibility legislation in 2023 (with links to Norwegian accessibility policies)
- 2018 article with many still-useful links to Norwegian accessibility information It’s illegal to have an inaccessible website in Norway — and that’s good news for all of us
- In 2021 Norwegian law implemented the EU Web Accessibility Directive for public sector web sites. >https://www.uutilsynet.no/webdirektivet-wad/stortinget-har-vedteke-nye-krav-om-universell-utforming-av-ikt/872) This meant that as of January 2023 all public sector websites in Norway need to comply to WCAG 2.1 AA (EN 301 549) and publish an accessibility statement. The standard for private sector websites, based on an earlier law, is a subset of WCAG 2.0 AA, although WCAG 2.1 AA is recommended.
- Read information in English about Norway’s digital accessibility commitment. This page begins with the statement “In Norway, we want a society where everyone can participate. Therefore, universal design of ICT is a legal requirement for both public and private sector.”
- The Monitoring body in Norway is actively notifying public sector bodies that don’t publish an accessibility statement that they can can expect daily fines of NOK 5,000 (approximately 435 euros or 475 dollars) per day. At least 5 organizations have received an an official warning.
Poland
Updated on November 1, 2024
[Note: This country is in the European Union (EU). Visit the European Union section of this Global Digital Accessibility Laws Page for more information about the European Accessibility Act and other digital accessibility Directives impacting EU countries.]
- Poland’s April 2024 law transposing the European Accessibility Act: PDF in Polish. (This can be machine translated by downloading and then translated using the documents tab in Google Translate.)
- Article by the Bird & Bird law firm titled “Poland: Parliament passes law on products and services accessibility“
Republic of Slovenia
Updated on February 29, 2024
[Note: the Republic of Slovenia is part of the European Union (EU). Visit the European Union section of this Global Digital Accessibility Laws Page for more information about the European Accessibility Act and other digital accessibility Directives impacting EU countries.]
Slovenia adopted the European Accessibility Act in January, 2023 in the Law on Accessibility to Products and Services for People with Disabilities.
Thanks to the following contributors for information on Republic of Slovenia: Beatriz González MellídezSpain
Updated on April 14, 2023
[Note: This country is in the European Union (EU). Visit the European Union section of this Global Digital Accessibility Laws Page for more information about the European Accessibility Act and other digital accessibility Directives impacting EU countries.]
- Law 19/2013 on transparency, access to public information and good governance. (Spanish PDF). Machine translation in English states (Article 5, Section 5):
All information will be understandable, easily accessible and free of charge and will be available to people with disabilities in a modality provided by media or in appropriate formats so that they are accessible and understandable, in accordance with the principle of universal accessibility and design for all.
- Audio Visual Communication Law 13/2022. Article 7 addresses rights of people with disabilities to accessibility and transparent information.
- 12699 Royal Decree 1112/2018, of September 7, on the accessibility of websites and applications for mobile devices of the public sector (Spanish PDF)
.
Thanks to the following contributors for information on Spain: Neil MillikenSweden
Updated on April 13, 2023
This country is in the European Union (EU). Visit the European Union section of this Global Digital Accessibility Laws Page for more information about the European Accessibility Act and other digital accessibility Directives impacting EU countries.
- Sweden’s European Accessibility Act Transposition documents
- Description of the Swedish transposition of the Web Accessibility Directive (WAD).
- Accessibility Statement of the Swedish government website, required by the Web Accessibility Directive
- Webpage of the Swedish Monitoring Agency describing their work on the Web Accessibility Directive
Switzerland
Updated on April 13, 2023
- Swiss accessibility standard (summary in English, standard itself in French or German)
- Accessibility Statement of TERMDAT – The Federal Administration of Switzerland’s terminology database (with references to applicable legal provisions).
The Netherlands
Updated on April 13, 2023
[Note: This country is in the European Union (EU). Visit the European Union section of this Global Digital Accessibility Laws Page for more information about the European Accessibility Act and other digital accessibility Directives impacting EU countries.]
- The Dutch government’s digital accessibility portal with links, resources, and a tool to evaluate accessibility
- The 2023 status of accessibility in the Netherlands conforms to the Web Accessibility Directive and is transposed into national law with a Temporary Act for digital accessibility (Tijdelijk Besluit Digitale Toegankelijkheid)
- Dutch Public Sector Bodies need to publish an accessibility statement on their websites. It is not mandatory, but they are urged to also publish their statement into the national register website. Depending on their status of accessibility a site is given an A-E rating
- Fully compliant (statement + audit report with no issues found)
- Partially accessible (Statement + audit report but contains findings to resolve)
- Statement and first audit scheduled in the next 6 months
- Statement but no audit and nothing planned
- No statement
- The monitoring currently sits with the “DigiToegankelijk” team, which sits under the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations. In March 2023 this government division released an accessibility dashboard that is meant to give more insight in the information from the registry. Currently there are almost 4300 websites in the register and a reportedly 3000 of those a legally compliant, meaning they have a statement and an audit report or an audit planned. 371 of them have an A status and should fully meet WCAG 2.1 AA.
- Monitoring currently happens at the statement level, meaning that the information required for the statement is checked but not the accessibility of the website itself. Additionally, since only the statement is monitored, any changes to websites that may break accessibility may not be reflected in the ratings. Thanks to the following contributors for information on The Netherlands: Ronny Hendriks
United Kingdom
Updated on October 31, 2024
The United Kingdom consists of the countries England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. (Ireland is part of the European Union.)
- August 2024 article: European Accessibility Act (EAA): what does it mean for UK further and higher education?, by John Kelly of the Jisc consultancy.
- October 2024 article: European Accessibility Act + accessibility statements: An ASPIRE overview featuring tenuous Star Wars references, by Huw Alexander of the textBOX consultancy.
- Amendment to the Public Sector Accessibility Regulations is a helpful November 2023 article on the UK Public Sector Accessibility Regulations impacting websites and mobile applications. The article, written by Léonie Watson of the Tetralogical Accessibility consultancy, has links to laws and other resources.
- The Equality Act (2010) is a civil rights law protecting rights of disabled people in addition to others. The Act applies to the private sector. As with the Americans with Disabilities Act it currently has no definitive digital accessibility standards to measure potential online disability discrimination, though WCAG is widely regarded to be the de facto standard.
- The Equality Act (2010) applies to all UK countries except Northern Ireland. The terms of the Disability Discrimination Act (1995) (the predecessor to the Equality Act) still apply in Northern Ireland.
- The Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018
- Understanding Accessibility Requirements for Public Sector Bodies (2018, last updated 2022)
- Accessibility legislation: what you need to know from The Government Analysis Function, a network for UK civil servants.
- UK Government guidance on digital accessibility (with links to laws, policies, and other resources, with reference to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA.
- The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) has resources on its website to help enforce the UK public sector web accessibility requirements. See Challenge inaccessible websites with our new toolkit (2020) with information about requirements and how to report inaccessible public sector websites.
- The UK Equality and Human Rights Commission has a website titled How to report an inaccessible public sector website (applicable to England, Scotland, and Wales).
- For some history on implementing web accessibility requirements in the UK including lawsuits see an 2012 article titled RNIB and BMI-baby accessibility lawsuit: How BS8878 may help prevent you getting sued.
- In 2019, British Standard 8878 was replaced by ISO/IEC 30071.1 – Information technology — Development of user interface accessibility — Part 1: Code of practice for creating accessible ICT products and services. Learn more about the standard in this article.
- For more about the history of BS8878, launched in 2010, see Launch of BS 8878 Web Accessibility and Web Accessibility Code of Practice BS8878.
Latin America
Argentina
Updated on March 19, 2023
- In November 2010 the Argentine National Congress approved Law No. 26,653 requiring accessibility of information on web pages. Read the Argentinian web accessibility law (Spanish).
Brazil
Updated on March 11, 2023
- Portal Brazil Accessibility Page with links to Brazilian accessibility mandates
Chile
Updated on March 18, 2023
- Law 20.422, establishing “standards on equal opportunities and social inclusion of people with disabilities” This law entered into force on February 10, 2010 and created the “National Disability Service” known as (SENADIS, (Servicio Nacional de la Discapacidad), which is in charge of ensuring that the law is complied with. In 2015 SENADIS created Decree No. 1, which approves the technical standard on systems and websites of state administration agencies.
- Technical Guide for the Implementation of Accessible Websites (pdf/Spanish 2016). This guide was created by SENADIS to support equity and access to information.
Colombia
Updated on April 5, 2023
- Columbian Government website with information about digital accessibility requirements
- Colombian Technical Standard (NTC) 5854 (Spanish PDF)
Ecuador
Updated on April 13, 2023

- The Ecuadorian Technical Standard NTE INEN ISO/IEC 40500:2012 is used for website accessibility. It is “an identical translation of the International Standard ISO/IEC 40500:2012 Information technology — W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0.” The committee responsible for this Ecuadorian Technical Standard and its translation is the INEN (Ecuadorian Institute of Standardization) Internal Committee.
- 2020 Article: E-Government Accessibility in Ecuador: A Preliminary Evaluation
Mexico
Updated on November 9, 2023
- Accessibility Law for Mexico City (2017 Spanish PDF), referencing accessibility to information, communications, and technologies.
- General Law for the Inclusion of People with Disabilities (Spanish PDF, 2011 and updated January 2023), defining accessibility as
The pertinent measures to ensure access for persons with disabilities, on an equal basis with others, to the physical environment, transportation, information and communications, including information and communication systems and technologies, and other services and facilities open to the public or for public use, both in urban and rural areasMexican General Law for the Inclusion of People with Disabilities
- Mexican Standard NMX-R-099-SCFI-2018 Accessibility Requirements Suitable For Public Procurement Of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Products and Services in Mexico. (2018, Spanish PDF)
Peru
Updated on April 11, 2023
- Law 29973: General Law of Persons with Disabilities and its Regulations (2021)
- Act no. 28530 – Act to promote Internet access for people with disabilities and adequacy of physical space in internet cafes (Spanish)
(this link takes you to a page from which you can download this resource in PDF or word format in Spanish. The Translate Documents feature of Google Translate can machine translate documents into other languages. Please read the translation disclaimer in the Introduction to this page.
Uruguay
Updated on April 11, 2023
- Decree 406/022, (December 2022, published January 2023) to
Promote the development of the Information Society in Uruguay, with emphasis on the inclusion of the digital practice of its inhabitants and the strengthening of society’s skills in the use of technologies. Uruguay Decree 406/022
- Article I of the Decree defines accessibility as:
Se entenderá por accesibilidad digital, la posibilidad de que toda la información y contenidos disponibles a través de soluciones tecnológicas, independiente a su canal de implementación, ya sea tecnología web o móvil, en internet, intranets y/o cualquier tipo de redes informáticas, se hagan disponibles y utilizables por el usuario, mediante el uso de equipamiento adecuado, independientemente de su contexto y condiciones personales, contemplando especialmente a las personas con discapacidad.Uruguay Decree 406/022 Article 1
Google machine translation to English: Digital accessibility will be understood as the possibility that all information and content available through technological solutions, regardless of their implementation channel, be it web or mobile technology, on the Internet, intranets and/or any type of computer network, is make them available and usable by the user, through the use of suitable equipment, regardless of their context and personal conditions, especially contemplating people with disabilities.Uruguay Decree 406/022 Article 1
- The Decree references “technical accessibility requirements” in Article 5 and does a deep dive into the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1. The Technical requirements section of the Decree begins with:
La accesibilidad digital es el resultado de diseñar y desarrollar servicios y productos digitales para que el mayor número de personas puedan usarlos, independientemente de sus condiciones personales y de su entorno.Uruguay Decree 406/022 Article 5
Google Machine Translation to English: Digital accessibility is the result of designing and developing digital services and products so that the greatest number of people can use them, regardless of their personal conditions and their environment.Uruguay Decree 406/022 Article 5
Thanks to the following contributors for information on Uruguay:
Meddy Veloso
Middle East
Israel
Updated on April 10, 2023
- The Israeli accessibility regulations were amended in 2017 to require all websites and apps to be accessible; new ones have to be accessible by design. Both private and public entities providing services online are required to apply Internet Accessibility Standard (Israel Standard 5668 Part 1 – web accessibility, which has adopted W3C AI WCAG 2.0 at AA level. All digital documents uploaded after Oct 2017 must be accessible by the Israel Standard 5668 Part 2 – document accessibility. Documents, such as bank client’s statements that are generated in interior areas in websites– is to be made accessibly by 2022. Accessible websites and apps are required to include a sign that the web site is accessible, an accessibility statement, information on all accessibility services and contact information on accessibility director.
- Captions are required for time-based media (Level A) uploaded after 2017. However, only public authorities and large-scale private businesses have to provide them. In addition, lectures, conferences and similar events presented online, may offer a text document as alternative to online accommodations.However, since the beginning of the Pandemic, many online conferences, webinars, and other events routinely provide at least live captions. Services provided or promoted through social media are required to use the accessibility features offered by the platforms. Websites which host third-party content have to provide accessibility options, such as alt text descriptions for images.
- Small businesses may be granted an exemption, limited to 3 years. Exemptions may also be granted to any service, if the accommodations are technically impossible. The regulations are enforced both administratively, by the Commission on Equal Rights for Persons with Disabilities – a government agency – and through civil legal proceedings.
- Israeli Equal Rights Commission for Persons with Disabilities pages on web accessibility (Hebrew)
- Regulations on Access to Public Services
United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Updated on May 9, 2024
- Article in English about the United Arab Emirate’s National Digital Accessibility Policy. The article includes a link to a downloadable version of the policy in Arabic.
- Note that people with disabilities / disabled people are referred to in this article as “People of Determination.” The term is explained in this article from the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre.
South Asia
India
Updated on April 13, 2023

- Guidelines for Indian Government Websites include resources for ensuring that websites meet standards based on WCAG 2.0.
- The Manual for Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 is written for people without a law background to easily under stand the Act.
- Digital accessibility in India is controlled, enabled and regulated through the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. Section 40 together with Section 100(2)(g) requires the Central Government to develop standards of accessibility for physical and digital spaces/ecosystems across the country.
- Rules have been issued under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act by a notification dated June 15, 2017. (This PDF document has the Notification in both Hindi and English. English starts on Page 27).
- Rule 15(1)(c) of the 2017 Notification requires that with respect to Information and Communication Technology, the standards as specified in the guidelines for Indian Government websites, linked above, as adopted by Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, Government of India are complied with by all establishments.
- Rule 15(1)(c) also requires that all documents which are placed on websites should either be in Electronic Publication (ePUB) or should be PDFs which are capable of being converted into accessible documents through Optical Character Recognition (OCR).
- On July 26, 2022, amendments were proposed to Rule 15(1) to incorporate Indian Standards 17802 Parts 1 and 2 issued by Bureau of Indian Standards. These are designed to be in line with European Standard EN 301549 and WCAG 2.1 containing exhaustive guidelines to make Information and Communication Technology Accessible. The amendment is under active consideration as of April 10, 2023.
- Section 46 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 requires all service providers, whether public or private, to ensure compliance with ICT Standards of Rule 15(1) within two years from the date of the notification of the rules. This date has passed yet there is still not full compliance.
- Additional articles on digital accessibility in India include:
- Making the Digital Eco-System Disabled Friendly: An Evaluation of the Accessibility of Ten Widely Used Apps in India (2023)
- Shaping a More Disabled Friendly Digital Ecosystem (Feb. 15, 2023)
- Few Indian websites are technically accessible to disabled people – despite the law requiring this (Nov. 4, 2022)
- Why Deny the Disabled Population Digital Access?, (Dec. 3, 2019)
- Improving Access to Entertainment Content (Oct. 27, 2022)
- A 9-step plan for ‘curb-cutting’ disability access in India’s news and newsrooms, (Sept. 6, 2022)
Viet Nam
Updated on April 23, 2024
The Digital Accessibility Toolkit for Viet Nam is a resource designed to promote digital accessibility for disabled people in the country. Published by GIZ, a German non-profit, its is endorsed by the Department of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Viet Nam.
Pages 11 and 12 of the 64 page document sets out accessibility standards and the legal framework for digital accessibility in Viet Nam.
Thanks to the following contributors for information on Viet Nam: Matthew Luken